Indicator attachment for machine tools



Feb. 22, 1949. A. ROSENOW INDICATOR ATTACHMENT FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed July '7, 1945 ave/7am Patented Feb. 22, 1949 TED STATES "OQFFFI CE Albert Rosenow, Evergreen Park, 111.

Application ,July 7,, 1945, .SeriallNo..G03,657

:Cla;ims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in iindicator attachments for machine tools and it .COnSiStS of the matters hereinafter described and -more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. The improved attachment is applicable to machine tools such as lathes, mills and the like-thatinclude a-carriage having a cross slide thereon.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means that'may be readily attached in an out of the way-but convenient location to the "cross slide of a machine tool-visibly and accurately to'indicate the-exact position of the slide on the carriage for a more precise operation of the tool.

Another object of the invention is to-provide 'an attachment of thiskind which is of a simple constructiorithat cannot readily get out'of order and which will give trouble free service over a long period of time.

Also, it is an objectof the invention to provide an attachment which is devoid of gearing or threaded and other parts subject to wear, and which would'induceinaccuracy-in operation. Furthermore, it isan object of the invention to provide an attachment of this kind which'is constructed to safely protect against damage by jamming the indicating mechanism used therewith.

Theabove mentioned objects of the invention, .along with the advantages thereof will more fuily appear as the specification :proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a transverse vertical sectional view through the bed ofwasmachinetoolwith a car- :riagei and cross slide thereonrand with :the :im-

"proved attachment'in position onsaidislideand appearing in longitudinal section. as taken :on the line 'l-- l of. Fig. ,2.

Fig.12is a topvplan viewiof the parts. appearing figs; Band :aretransversewerticmdetail secitionalviews through parts 0f thesimproiied-at- 'taelnnent as f taken :on the Llines.r3-.-3 and. 4-4

respectively and. on axscale enlarged over that M Fig. 51..

"Fig; fidszaperspective view of a certain actuator bar forming a part of the improved attachment and which will be more fully referred :to

provided with the usual laterally spaced rails 'H-I 1 'uponwhich a carriage 1'2 is mounted for 2 movement-longitudinally of the bed. A "cross slide 13 isarranged'onth'e carriagefor-movement transversely ofthe'bed'iby means of a feed screw 13a. The parts just mentionedare conventional inseveral kinds ofmachin'e tools and require no further description.

The improved attachment, whichis indicated as av/hole at l4,'is in the form of a rectangular casing or support which is herein shown to be substantially as long-as the cross slide-l3 and is intended for application to one side thereof, as best appears in Fig. 2. Said casing includes spaced from and 'rear'rectangular end blocks 1 5 and it respectively that are connected together by vertically edgewise disposed side bars l 'l I 1 end portionsof which engage in seats in the side faces of said blocks and are secured thereto by *screwsydo-wels or the like that appear in dotted lines in Fig. 2. With the arrangement described, the casing'is'openat'the top-and' bottom between said "end blocks.

The front end blo'c'k'is provided with-a longitudinalbore it and the tubular extension IQ of conventional indicating mechanism 20 is engaged in the front end of said bore and is locked in'position thereon-by a set screw 21. The rear end of said bore opens into arelatively narrow groove'or channelZEin thebotto-m of the rear end of the frontiblock. Apart of the sideof the front end of the block below the bore 58 therein is removedto'provide a flange 23 throughwhich a screw 24 is adapted to pass to fasten the front -endblock to the associated side of the cross slide. AtransversepinQS is provided in the'rear end of the "block so as to cross .the groove 22 therein.

"The bore ll; in the block it, rearwardly of the extension =i9-ofthe indicating :mechanism 20 has 'slidably' engaged therein an operating plunger :or 'memb'er "The front end of said member 2.5 is engaged with a :reoiprocablev pin projecting :from the tubular extension: it while 1135188,! end overhangsa pantio'f the grooverorxchannel .22. A spring 8a is disposed in-the bore a1 8 between the extension IQkandplungertfi tozreturnthe latter bar is a trigger 29a.

3 a fairly snug fit in the channels 22 and 26 of the end blocks l and I6. The front end of said bar is provided with a downwardly facing, longitudinally extending inclined surface 30, which terminates in a rounded front end nose 3| for engagement with the rear end of the plunger 26. The rear end of the bar is also provided with a downwardly facing longitudinally extending inclined surface 32 that is, parallel with the other inclined surface 30. The front end of the surface 32 terminates in a shoulder 32a. Associated with said bar and longitudinally adjustable on the bar is one or more abutment members 33, which has an upwardly and forwardly inclined bottom surface 34. This abutment member carries a set screw 35 at its top whereby said member may be locked in any adjusted position along the bar. At a point between the nose 3| and abutment 33, toward the top edge of the bar, there is provided outwardly extending pins 36 and shortly to the rear of said pins and projecting laterally from the bottom edge of said This trigger extends outwardly beyond one of the bars l1-l1 so as to be engaged by the machine operators fingers for actuation.

When the bar 29 is in operative position in the end blocks, the inclined surfaces 30 and 32 thereof engage upon the cross pins 25 and 21 as best appears in Fig. 1. After an. operation of the attachment, the shoulder 32a is engaged with said pin 21. The upper central portion of the blocks l5 and Hi carry spring like fingers 31 and '38 which bear against the top edge of the bar 29 and yieldingly urge the bar downwardly, holding the same in engagement with the pins 25-21. a

The pins 36 have attached thereto one end of a pair of contractile springs 39-39 and the other end of said springs are attached to pins 49-40 extending inwardly from the bars l1 near the block l6, as appears in Fig. 2. With the arrangement described, it is obvious that the springs 31-38 yieldingly hold the bar down in operative position upon the cross pins and that the springs 3939 normally draw or urge the bar 29 rearwardly.

On a part of the carriage l2 in line with and beneath the bar 29 is one or more stop members 4| adapted to be normally engaged by the associated abutment 33 under the action of the springs 39-39 (see Figs. 1 and 2).

Assume that the attachment has been applied to one side of a cross slide by the screws 24 and 28 and that the stop pin 4| has been applied to the carriage 2. Further, assume that the feed screw |3 is being operated to feed the slide l3 rearwardly across said carriage. In this movement of the slide (with the abutment 33 engaged against the stop 4|), the slide moves relatively to the bar 29 which causes the plunger 26 to actuate the mechanism 29 through the medium of the pin, before mentioned, which projects from the tubular extension 19. At the same time the bar 29 moves perpendicularly to its length by reason of the inclined surface riding upon the cross pins 25 and 21 respectively. In this movement of said parts, the springs 31-38 are compressed and the springs 3939 are expanded. Substantially instantly with the actuation of the mechanism 20, the abutment 33 passes the top end of the stop 4| and the springs 31-38 and 39 respectively then move the bar 29 downwardly and rearwardly to bring the shoulder 32a into engagement against the pin 21.

In the return movement of the slide l3 across the carriage l2, the inclined surface 34 of the abutment 33 rides the associated top end surface of the stop 4| and passes thereover so that the bar 29 is again in its normal position and wherein the abutment 33 is engaged with the stop 4| as in Fig. 1. The plunger follows the bar 29 in this return movement and the pin that projects from the tubular extension [9 follows and maintains contact with the front end of the plunger 26.

The improved attachment is simple-and inexpensive in construction and is eflicient in operation for its intended purpose and may be readily applied to the cross slide of most any machine tool, for its intended purpose.

With the parts arranged as described, the indicator mechanism 20 cannot be damaged by jamming because the bar 29 will yield in its operation before it can build up a pressure sufllcient to damage said mechanism.

The angularity of the inclined surfaces 30 and 32 respectively of the bar 29 and the depth of the adjoining surfaces of the abutment 33 and stop 4| is selected to suit the size rangeof the indicating mechanism 20. The inclination or slope of said surfaces is figured or developed to move the bar 29 a distance slightly less than the total range of a selected or given mechanism and will then disengage the abutment and stop 33 and 4| respectively. If the bar 29 is not lifted during movement of the slide in either direction, the riding over of a stop will result merely in a slight kick and a clickingsound will be heard but the mechanism 20 will in no manner be damaged.

By means of the trigger 2911, the operator may pull the bar 29 forwardly for quick adjustment to dispose the abutment in the position shown in Fig. 1 after only a short momentary operation of the feed screw |3a to move the slide forwardly. Thus in many instances long operations of said feed screw may be avoided. With the attachment, it is possible to indicate the exact position of the cross slide for precision machine tool operations.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for the slide of a machine tool and embodying therein a supporting means including longitudinally spaced block-like end pieces operatively secured together and each having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove therein, one of said end pieces being adapted to have an indicating mechanism carried thereby, an operating member for said mechanism-slidably mounted in said one of said end pieces, a bar having end portions disposed in said grooves in said end pieces and formed with inclined longitudinal surfaces, 2. pin carried by each end piece and crossing the groove therein and upon which said inclined surfaces of the bar engage, resilient means between said end pieces and said bar respectively for yieldingly holding the illclined surfaces in engagement with said pins, said bar in its normal position having one end thereof engaged with said operating member, resilient means for urging said bar in one direction, and meansproviding an abutment on said bar and adapted for engagement with a fixed stop on a part of said machine tool upon which said slide, to which said supporting means is attached, is operatively engaged for movement.

2. An attachment for the slide of a machine tool embodying therein, supporting means adapted for application to one side of said slid and formed at one end to receive and support an indicating mechanism, an operating member for said mechanism mounted for guided movement in said one end of said supporting means, a bar arranged for guided longitudinal movement on said supporting means and formed with longitudinally spaced inclined surfaces, means carried by said supporting means upon which the inclined surfaces of said bar engage, means carried by said supporting means and acting on said bar to yieldingly hold the inclined surfaces thereof in engagement with said means carried by said supporting means, said bar normally having one end thereof engaged with said operating member, means for urging said bar in one direction, and means providing an abutment on said bar adapted for engagement with a part on the machine tool upon which said slide is engaged.

3. An attachment for the slide of a machine tool embodying therein, supporting means adapted for application to one side of said slide and formed at one end to receive and support an in dicating mechanism, an operating member for said mechanism mounted for guided movement in said one end of said supporting means, a bar arranged for guided longitudinal movement on said supporting means and formed with longitudinally spaced inclined surfaces, means carried by said supporting means upon which the inclined surfaces of said bar engage, means carried by said supporting means and acting on said bar to yieldingly hold the inclined surfaces thereof in engagement with said means carried by said supporting means, said bar normally having one end thereof engaged with said operating member, means for urging said bar in one direction, means providing an abutment on said bar, means extending parallel with said bar and adapted to be secured to a part of the machine tool upon which said slide is engaged, means providing an abutment on said last mentioned means adapted for engagement by said first mentioned abutment in the movement of said slide, said abutments being relatively adjustable in the direction of the length of said bar.

4. An attachment for the slide of a machine tool embodying therein supporting means having laterally spaced sides and end parts connecting said sides together, each end part having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove therein, one of said end parts being adapted to receive and support an indicating mechanism, an operating member for said mechanism mounted for longitudinal movement in said one of said end parts, a bar disposed between said sides and having end portions arranged in said grooves and formed with longitudinally spaced inclined surfaces, members extending across said grooves in said end parts and upon which said inclined surfaces engage, means operating upon said bar to yieldingly hold the inclined surfaces thereof in engagement with said last mentioned members, said bar normally having one end thereof engaged with said operating member, means for urging said bar in one direction, and means providing an abutment on said bar adapted for engagement with a part on the machine tool upon Which the slide is engaged.

5. In combination with a machine tool that includes a carriage and a movable slide thereon, supporting means carried by said slide, mechanism carried by said supporting means for indicating the amount of movement of said slide, a bar arranged for guided longitudinal movement on said supporting means and formed with longitudinally spaced inclined surfaces, means carried by said supporting means upon which the inclined surfaces of said bar engage, means carried by the supporting means and acting on said bar to yieidingly hold the inclined surfaces thereof in engagement with said means carried by said supporting means, said bar normally having one end thereof engaged with said operating member, means for urging said bar in one direction, an abutment on said bar, a member car ried by said carriage and extending longitudinally with respect to said bar, a second abutment mounted on said member and adapted for engagement by the first mentioned abutment in the movement of the slide in one direction on the carriageto cause a movement of said bar relative to said supporting means to actuate said mechanism through said operating member, said abutments being relatively adjustable in the direction of the length of said bar.

ALBERT ROSENOW.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hanson Dec. 2, 1919 Number 

